Dark Chocolate and Sex a Benefit to Those Suffering From Migraine
While healthy sleep patterns, diet and exercise are known to inhibit the onset of migraine, sex may actually play a role in keeping headache away, too. According to Audrey Halpern, MD, headache and migraine specialist and double-board certified neurologist, “While sex isn’t a prescriptive approach for migraine and headache sufferers, a healthy sex life seems to dovetail with a healthier, more productive lifestyle that often includes regular exercise, a healthy diet and consistency in restorative sleep regimens, all of which contribute to fewer bouts of migraine and headache both.” Sex is cardio-boosting exercise, flooding the body with pain-reducing endorphins which aid in circulation, another boon for headache sufferers. To enhance the mood, dark chocolate is both a traditional good mood stimulant and also, thanks to its caffeine-rich cocoa, helpful at keeping headache away.
Dr. Halpern’s Champagne Mocktail, an alternative cocktail recipe for those who that find champagne, wine and liquor may trigger headache, is included. Alas, for some, particularly men with the rare condition coital cephalgia, lovemaking may actually trigger bouts of head pain. Generally speaking though, a healthy sex life is part of a healthy lifestyle which often includes fewer headaches and migraine.
Dr. Audrey Halpern’s Champagne Mocktail Recipe for Migraineurs:
1 1/3 cups Apple juice
1 tsp. Lemon juice
12 oz. Club soda
Blend and serve chilled or over ice
More info about Dr. Audrey Halpern: After graduating from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine with her MD, Dr. Audrey Halpern completed an internship in internal medicine at Yale University, along with her neurology residency training at Yale. Following her stay at Yale, she completed fellowship training in headache medicine at the Jefferson Headache Center at the Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia. Dr. Halpern is board-certified in headache medicine by the United Council for Neurologic Subspecialties, and board certified in neurology by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. Dr. Halpern, who is also a Clinical Assistant Professor of Neurology at New York University School of Medicine, diagnoses and treats a variety of neurological disorders, including headache, concussion, back pain, neck pain, pinched nerves, neuropathy, seizures, stroke, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, and other conditions. Dr. Halpern is a member of the American Headache Society, the American Academy of Neurology, and the International Headache Society.
With a belief in a combination of treatments for migraines such as behavior modification, conventional medication and holistic approaches, Dr. Halpern offers unique, advanced methods to treating and preventing migraines. She has co-authored a book chapter on migraine and epilepsy, has written numerous articles on the subject of migraine, frequently lectures on headache and other neurology topics, and is an expert in the field of concussion and sports related head injury. Dr. Halpern has appeared on The Dr. Oz Show, Good Housekeeping TV, Good Day NY, Fox 5 NY and has been featured in Real Simple, Family Circle, Woman’s Day, Town & Country, Health magazine, My Family Doctor, Big Apple Parent and the NFL radio network. Dr. Halpern is a health contributor to PositivelyParenting.com.